Telefilm Canada has budgeted $70,000 for an Oscars party in Los Angeles. The Crown agency yesterday had no comment when asked to justify the Hollywood banquet catered for February 27, fire permitting: 'Celebrate the Oscars.' READ MORE
Call TikTok ‘Personal Choice’
Canadians’ use of TikTok is a “personal choice,” says a Department of Industry briefing note written after cabinet claimed it forced the Chinese-run app to phase out operations here. Disclosure of the note came as Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre said all Conservative legislators were boycotting TikTok in the name of national security: "Stay away from TikTok altogether." READ MORE
Billable Hours For 25% More
Federal IT consultants including sole-sourced contractors typically bill up to $1,000 a day, the Budget Office said yesterday. Costs are about 25 percent higher than if departments did the work themselves, wrote analysts: "It was very difficult to understand exactly the value for money." READ MORE
$3,000 Fed Grants For Gazans
Gazan refugees in Canada will receive tax-free federal grants of $3,000 per adult and $1,500 per minor child, the Department of Immigration said yesterday. The grants are identical to those earlier approved for Ukrainian war refugees under an aid package that cost taxpayers $753.4 million as of last August: "We are being as flexible as possible." READ MORE
Name Names, Inquiry’s Told
Canadians want the names of MPs and senators compromised by Chinese agents, the Commission on Foreign Interference said yesterday. The Commission in a report summarizing petitions it received from the public noted Canadians’ anger over a lack of transparency: 'Identify and punish them.' READ MORE
Minister Rethinks Prorogation
Opposition parties bent on a federal election should first allow cabinet to pass more Liberal bills, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty yesterday told reporters. Parliament is currently suspended until March 24, one week before the end of the budget year: "Pass the legislation we need." READ MORE
Vow Border Cops Are Ready
Federal police yesterday said they are prepared to fend off any rush of illegal immigrants from the United States once Donald Trump is sworn into office next Monday. Some 700,000 illegal immigrants currently reside in border states, by U.S. estimate: "How do we do that?" READ MORE
Guest Commentary
If you bought the house you got a computer, plus the ability to connect with your neighbours. It was a selling point, like a bonus. The computer was very exciting. It had a “cool” factor. We volunteered right away. You would go to work and tell people you’re part of a “wired community,” and they would ask: What’s that? It was a great conversation piece. Later the emails started coming. Someone’s cat went missing, lost cat, the name of the cat. Then people started sharing complaints about the builder, the deficiencies, problems with the house: Did you get this? Did they fix that? It was like an early version of Twitter.
